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Skills

The Quality Schools Package is focussing the Government’s investment in schools on quality teaching and programs that are boosting results: giving students the skills and knowledge they need to live and work in the future.

Department of Education and Training

Digital Technologies Hub

The Digital Technologies Hub is an online portal that supports implementation of the digital technology aspects of the Australian Curriculum. It includes learning resources and activities for students and teachers to build their digital capability.

Department of Education and Training

Supporting Artificial Intelligence in schools

The Australian Government is commissioning the development of a range of curriculum resources to assist with delivery of AI and emerging technologies content in the Australian curriculum. The resources will help to engage students and support the professional learning of teachers

Department of Education and Training
Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Australian Qualifications Framework Review

A review of the AQF, taking place in 2018 will consider including emerging qualifications, such as micro-credentials within the framework. The review will include considering the requirements for tertiary qualifications to be able to respond flexibly to changing industry and skills needs into the future.

These courses provide free professional learning for teachers on the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies, and free access to the latest digital technologies equipment through a National Lending Library as a part of the NISA package.

Department of Education and Training

VET Information Strategy

An information campaign is under way to raise the status of VET, and to encourage more students to consider VET. A range of promotional resources are being developed to support the information for students and parents on the MySkills website.

Department of Education and Training

Industry 4.0 Testlabs for Australia Initiative

This $5 million initiative will fund the establishment of five Industry 4.0 testlabs at educational institutions across Australia where businesses and researchers can come together to trial, explore and showcase Industry 4.0 technologies and processes.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Education 2030 – The Future of Education and Skills

Australia is one of 25 countries participating in this project, which is designed to help countries explore the skills and competencies that modern education systems will need to develop in their students for the world in 2030.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)

Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC)

The Australian Industry and Skills Committee draws on advice from a network of Industry Reference Committees made up of representatives from particular industry sectors. Their advice is intended to ensure training packages meet the needs of employers and the modern economy, including in Industry 4.0, for which there is a dedicated IRC. The Digital Transformation IRC is also considering the automation, digital skills, big data, cyber security and supply chains skills need of industry.

Department of Education and Training

“digIT” ICT summer schools

The digIT summer schools will give Year 9 and 10 students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds the chance to attend a digital technology-based summer school, followed by five months of mentoring and a follow-up residential school.

These Challenges are a series of free online teaching and learning activities for students in Years 5 to 8 that are aligned to the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies. This NISA funded initiative includes professional learning workshops for primary and secondary teachers across Australia.

Department of Education and Training

Early Learning STEM Australia (ELSA) pilot

The Government is making a significant investment in early learning to give children a head start when they reach school. Targeted initiatives are aligned to the Early Years Learning Framework and include children gaining confidence in STEM and digital literacy.

The Ribit platform improves business-research collaboration by providing access to skilled talent for start-ups and small and medium enterprises, connecting them with tertiary students in STEM and related fields, while providing students with quality career-related work and internships.

CSIRO/Data61

STEM Partnerships Forum

The Forum brings together leaders from education and business, including digital technology leaders, to improve school–industry partnerships. The Forum is looking at how to inspire more young people into STEM careers and how industry can support teachers and schools in STEM education.

Education Council

Automotive Engineering Graduate Program

This $5 million program will provide a pipeline of highly trained designers and engineers to the automotive industry. Students will enhance their digital skills by undertaking research projects that solve industry problems.

A dedicated, $1.4 million PhD scholarship program will support emerging Australian researchers in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
CSIRO / Data61

Industry Growth Centres

Industry Growth Centres are actively advising the Government on skills needs and collaborating on the development of vocational education and training qualifications to ensure that they are relevant and meet industry needs.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Job Outlook - better information on jobs and skills

The Job Outlook website provides information to help people move between jobs. It includes locational information on jobs in demand right now and looking forward to 2020.

Department of Jobs and Small Business

Boosting Digital Skills

Boosting digital skills across the spectrum will be a priority for the Government’s future consultations with, industry, the community and academia.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

jobactive

The Government is providing assistance, on a case-by-case basis, to workers to retrain and find new employment through jobactive.

Department of Jobs and Small Business

More Choices for a Longer Life Package – Skills and Training Incentive

This initiative provides an incentive for mature age workers employed in vulnerable industries and occupations, or their employers, to co invest with the Government in their skills development. This makes eligible mature age workers more resilient to future changes in skill requirements.

Department of Jobs and Small Business

Skills Checkpoint for Older Workers Program

This program will provide eligible Australians aged 45 – 70 with advice and guidance on transitioning into new roles within their current industry or pathways to a new career, including referral to relevant education and training options

Department of Education and Training

Skilling Australians Fund

The Skilling Australians Fund provides support for apprenticeships and traineeships across a range of key priority areas, including future growth sectors.

Department of Education and Training

The Global Talent Visa Scheme

The Global Talent Visa Scheme will be piloted from 1 July 2018 to assist with our current digital skills shortage by attracting highly skilled global talent and building the capability of local workers.

Department of Home Affairs

Australian Jobs Snapshot

Australian Jobs Snapshot provides better and more accessible data on labour market demand to help make personal and institutional investments more informed.

Department of Jobs and Small Business

Myskills

Myskillsis an Australian Government website that ensures training consumers have access to current, straightforward, and independent information to help them make choices about training options.

Department of Education and Training

Treasurer’s Small Business Digital Taskforce

The Taskforce is intended to accelerate the rate of small business digital adoption by increasing awareness of key digital economy opportunities, drawing on advice from business, and building on and informing existing government initiatives. The taskforce report is currently being considered by Government.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

SME digital adoption – discovery project

This project examines SME digital capability, including the barriers and challenges to SMEs adopting digital technologies. This project is working closely with the Small Business Digital Taskforce.

Department of Jobs and Small Business
Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Entrepreneurs Programme – Innovation Connections

Provides SMEs with access to expert technology advice to address technology and knowledge gaps, and collaborate with the research sector in developing new ideas with commercial potential.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Skilled for 2026 work stream –Sector Competitiveness Plan

Under this plan, METS Ignited will partner with the ICT industry to demystify big data and digitisation, explaining the Internet of Things and interoperability. METS Ignited will also partner with mining companies and universities to build capability for small and medium METS businesses.

Provides information and resources for those starting and running a business, including information to assist businesses to engage in the digital economy.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

IP for Digital Business

Provides information and resources for SMEs and startups within the digital economy to identify, protect and harness the value of their intellectual property.

IP Australia

Inclusion

Initiative

Description

Who’s involved

Universal Service Guarantee

The Government is developing a new Universal Service Guarantee to ensure all Australians have ongoing access to voice and broadband services, which will be complemented by an up-to-date consumer protection framework.

Department of Communications and the Arts

Remote ICT Capability Enhancement (RICE)

The RICE Project is improving digital connectivity to rural and remote communities by delivering new self-service computers and free public WiFi to all Department of Human Services Agents and Access Points. The technology bundle also includes a scanner which allows Centrelink documents to be lodged digitally. RICE will also deliver upgraded telephone equipment and connections to Agents and Access Points.

Department of Human Services

Health Care Homes

The Health Care Homes program allows people living with chronic conditions to call or contact their care team for healthcare advice.

Department of Health

Digital Health Strategy

The Strategy provides a roadmap to improve Australia’s digital health capability through innovation, collaboration and leadership to facilitate digital health integration in the health system.

Australian Digital Health Agency

Head to Health

The Australian Government’s online mental health gateway helps people take control of their mental health in a way they are most comfortable with and can complement face-to-face therapies.

Department of Health

NDIS – Assistive technologies

The NDIS is providing disabled Australians with access to a range of digital assistive technologies, helping improve the lives of many Australians living with disabilities, and perform tasks they would otherwise have difficulty performing.

National Disability Insurance Agency

The Regional Study Hubs Program

Budget commitment of $16.7 million to establish and maintain up to eight community-owned study hubs across regional Australia. The Program will support students in undergraduate courses of study offered by a higher education provider.

Department of Education and Training

The Regional and Rural Enterprise Scholarships

Supports students with the costs of studying at university or at a vocational education and training institution. The scholarships are valued at up to $18,000 each and are available to support students studying STEM, health or agriculture for six months full-time or up to 8 years part-time.

Department of Education and Training

Women in STEM Package

As part of the NISA initiative, the 2017-18 Budget committed $4.5 million over four years from 2018-19 to encourage more women into STEM education and careers.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Curious Minds

Targets high achieving female students in years 9 and 10 through a series of hands-on summer schools. Curious Minds combines residential camps and a mentoring program with the aim of igniting girls’ passion and participation in STEM.

Department of Education and Training

Bridging the digital gender divide

The Government is working (through the G20) to bridge the digital gender divide, which begins as early as primary school and continues through to women’s university and career choices.

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Exploring the Digital Divide

The Government will work with key stakeholders to explore initiatives to reduce the digital divide and support lifelong learning.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Skills Checkpoint for Older Workers Program

This program will provide eligible Australians aged 45 – 70 with advice on transitioning into new roles within their current industry or pathways to a new career, including referral to relevant education and training options

Department of Education and Training

Be Connected

Be Connectedis an initiative aimed at increasing the confidence, skills and online safety of older Australians. Be Connected will deliver a range of resources specifically for those aged 50 years and over, who have minimal or no engagement with digital technology.

Department of Social Services

GoDigi

GoDigi is a four-year national partnership between Infoxchange and Australia Post aimed at improving the digital literacy of over 300,000 Australians. Digi Houseis a part of the Go Digi initiative which aims to improve the digital inclusion of people living in social housing.

Australia Post
Infoxchange

Indigenous Digital Literacy App

This new culturally appropriate app will assist Indigenous people who are new technology users build skills needed to safely and successfully engage online.

Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet/
Office of the E-Safety Commissioner

eSafety Commissioner

The Government funds a range of initiatives to raise awareness about technology facilitated abuse and provide tools for community and front line services on how to identify it and provide victims with support. These initiatives include 1800RESPECT, ThinkUKnow and eSafety Women. Be Deadly Online is an information campaign about online safety, specifically targeted at indigenous Australians.

The Government is committed to working with education, industry and parent stakeholders to ensure students receive effective career education to help them make a successful transition from school to further education, training or work.

This strategy sets out the Government’s vision for digital government to 2025, including a roadmap of existing high priority digital initiatives.

Digital Transformation Agency

myGov

The DTA is defining a future vision for myGov where interactions with Government are easy, smart and personalised. Interactions will be based around life events and informed by data, and will be delivered through pro-active government transitions with high levels of user consent and control.

Digital Transformation Agency and the Department of Human Services

Digital Service Standard (DSS)

The DSS is a set of best practice principles for the design and delivery of government services that helps ensure digital teams build government services that are simple, clear and fast.

Digital Transformation Agency

GovPass

The GovPass project is creating a digital identity solution to make the process of proving who you are to government services online simple, safe and secure.

Digital Transformation Agency

Unique Student Identifier (USI)

The USI gives individuals easy online access, in one place, to all their nationally recognised training records undertaken since 2015. The USI will also provide more precise data to help the Government ensure that the VET sector is providing the skills businesses need.

Department of Education and Training

Seamless Traveller

Seamless Traveller is automating and modernising the arrivals process at Australia’s international airports. It includes biometrically-enabled SmartGates to enable self-processing across the border, and the digitisation of the paper-based Incoming Passenger Card.

Department of Home Affairs

Visa reform

Facilitating the efficient movement of people by maximising end-to-end digitisation and automation in visa processing to enable the majority of visa holders to move quickly and seamlessly across the border.

Department of Home Affairs

Guaranteeing Medicare

Invest in a program of work to stabilise and consolidate health and aged care systems and provide a range of user benefits to consumers, health professionals and aged care providers.

Department of Human Services

My Health Record

In the 2017-18 Budget, $374.2 million was committed to digital health capability to improve the quality and delivery of healthcare.

Department of Health

My Aged Care

My Aged Care is a digital platform that helps connect elderly Australians to services in the home, tailored home care packages, and aged care facilities. It also provides advice on available services.

Department of Health

Welfare Payment Infrastructure Transformation Programme

This program is transforming and delivering new digital solutions for the simpler, clearer and faster delivery of welfare payments and services.

Department of Human Services

Veteran Centric Reform Program

Veteran Centric Reform will provide the veteran community with easier access to improved services, including online services, through reform of the Department of Veteran Affairs culture, operating model and business processes and systems.

Department of Veterans’ Affairs

My Skills

The My Skills website brings together information from a range of sources to help students and employers make informed decisions on the training that best suits their needs.

Department of Education and Training

Quality Indicators for Learning and Training

This website helps students and their families make informed choices about their higher education options. It brings together data about students’ experiences and employment outcomes after studying at Australian higher education institutions.

Department of Education and Training

Performance Dashboard

The Performance Dashboard makes data open and accessible by measuring the performance of Australian Government services against the Digital Service Standard and publishing this online.

Digital Transformation Agency

Use of Blockchain with government payments

The Digital Transformation Agency will investigate areas where blockchain technology could offer the most value for government services.

The Digital Marketplace breaks down the barriers of entry for small and medium enterprises and makes it easier to complete for Australian Governments’ annual ICT spend.

Digital Transformation Agency

Defence Innovation Hub

The Hub connects Defence, industry, academia, and research institutions to collaborate on innovative technologies that can be developed into advanced capability for Defence.

Department of Defence

Next Generation Technologies Fund (NGTF)

Focuses on research in emerging technologies for the future Defence force. Innovative technologies and concepts researched under the NGTF could be further developed and realised into capability through the Defence Innovation Hub.

Department of Defence

Digital infrastructure

Initiative

Description

Who's involved

National Broadband Network (NBN)

The Government is providing affordable high-speed broadband across Australia through the $29.5 billion public equity investment in the NBN. The roll-out will be complete by 2020.

Department of Communications and the Arts

Mobile Black Spot Program

The Government’s $220 million Mobile Black Spot Program is delivering 867 new mobile base stations to improve mobile coverage across Australia.

Department of Communications and the Arts

Fourth round of the Mobile Black Spot Program

The Government has committed $25 million of the Mobile Black Spot Program’s funding to a fourth round, to deliver improved mobile coverage to more regional and remote communities across Australia.

Department of Communications and the Arts

Facilitating 5G network rollout

The Government is working with industry to secure an effective commercial rollout of 5G networks (further detail see the 5G – Enabling the future economy paper).

Department of Communications and the Arts

Spectrum review

The proposed reforms flowing from this review will simplify processes for spectrum allocation and provide a transparent, efficient and flexible system that will support more effective responses to market demands and new technologies like 5G.

Department of Communications and the Arts

Telecommunications Reform Package

The Government is delivering a regulatory framework that promotes investment and competition in the telecommunications market and improves access to broadband services across the nation.

Department of Communications and the Arts

Consumer Safeguards Review

The Government is reviewing Australia’s telecommunications consumer safeguards to prepare the framework for a post-2020 environment.

Department of Communications and the Arts

Instant asset write-off

Small businesses with a turnover of less than $10 million can write off assets costing less than $20,000 in their tax returns.

The Treasury

National Positioning Infrastructure Capability

Delivering accuracy and reliability from a new generation of positioning systems, delivering value in areas from smartphones to automated vehicles.

As part of the 2018-19 Budget, the Government announced further investment of $1.9 billion over 12 years under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy to support national research infrastructure and secure Australia’s research future. This complements Government funding of $150 million per year (indexed) to support the operations of NCRIS facilities.

Department of Education and Training

Quantum computing

The Government is providing $25 million for Silicon Quantum Computing Pty Ltd to fund the development of a silicon quantum integrated circuit—the first step in developing a practical quantum computing system (part of the NISA).

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

High performance computing

The Government is investing $140 million in Australia’s two Tier 1 high performance computing facilities to upgrade infrastructure at the Pawsey Supercomputing Centre in Western Australia and National Computational Infrastructure in Canberra. These facilities underpin Australia’s research excellence and government operations and enable impactful research in priority sectors including agriculture, genomics and cyber security.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
Department of Education and Training

Square Kilometre Array (SKA)

Australia will soon co-host the SKA, due to commence construction in 2020. Australia’s component will be the highly innovative SKA low frequency telescope, which may be the most data intensive scientific instrument in the world.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Smart Cities and Suburbs Program

This $50 million program is supporting the delivery of projects that improve the liveability, productivity and sustainability of Australian cities and towns. The program supports projects at the local level that apply smart technology, data driven decision making, and people focused design.

The Government is committed to building trust in the government’s use of public sector data, including through inclusive consultation around the new data sharing and release framework.

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Data sharing and release framework

This framework will deliver legislative reforms to help streamline and simplify the sharing and release of public sector data, while maintaining appropriate safeguards.

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

National Data Commissioner

The National Data Commissioner will have overall responsibility for the implementation of a more efficient data sharing and release framework. The NDC will support government entities to maximise the use and reuse of the data they hold.

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Australian Bureau of Statistics

National Data Advisory Council

The National Data Advisory Council will advise the National Data Commissioner on ethical data use, community expectations, technical best practice, and industry and international developments.

Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet

Consumer Data Right

The Consumer Data Rightwill enable customers to access data about them in designated sectors. The first three sectors will be banking, energy, and telecommunications.

This bill prohibits the re-identification of government datasets that have been published on a de-identified basis and the disclosure of re-identified information.

Attorney-General’s Department

Mandatory Data Breach Notification Scheme

This scheme commenced on 22 February 2018. Entities have data breach notification obligations when a data breach is likely to result in serious harm to any individuals whose personal information is involved in the breach. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has consulted with industry and the public on guidance material about the scheme.

Attorney-General’s Department

Australian Government Agencies Privacy Code

The Code will enhance existing privacy capability within agencies, build greater transparency in information handling practices, and foster a culture of respect for privacy and the value of personal information.

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

My Health Record System framework

The Government released this framework to guide the secondary use of data from the My Health Record system. This recognises the need to allow commercial organisations to use this data for research and public health purposes.

Department of Health

De-Identification Decision-making Framework

This framework was developed in conjunction with CSIRO’s Data61 and assists entities to leverage the value of data by appropriately handling personal information.

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)

Inquiry into digital platform providers

The Government is undertaking an inquiry into digital platform providers and the effect that digital search engines, social media platforms and other platforms are having on competition in media and advertising markets.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

Data.gov.au

Government agencies are required to make all non-sensitive data publicly available on data.gov.auas per theData Policy Statement. This platform is open to all Australians to access.

The Geocoded National Address Fileis Australia’s authoritative geocoded address file, and contains more than 13 million Australian physical address records.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

The Foundation Spatial Data Framework (FSDF)

The FSDF provides a common reference for the assembly and maintenance of Australian and New Zealand foundation-level spatial data. It delivers national coverage of the best available, current, authoritative foundation spatial data, which is standardised and quality controlled.

Geoscience Australia

Cloud-Based Elevation Data Delivery

Cloud-based delivery has increased the supply of elevation data by 1000 per cent to users and reduced the time of delivery by 98 per cent. The infrastructure is extendable and available to other jurisdictions.

Geoscience Australia

Data61

Data61 works to create Australia’s data-driven future by bringing together the innovation ecosystem and building a network of partners in government, industry and academia. A recent example of Data61’s work is the Platforms for Open Data initiative, which improves access to public data whilst ensuring privacy.

The ISA 2030 Plan was released in January 2018 and outlines how Australia can reach its innovation, science and research potential by 2030.

Innovation and Science Australia

Household Use of Information Technology Publication

This publication includes data on number of internet users, hours spent online in a typical week, reasons for accessing the internet, type of goods purchased online, and use of the internet for home based work, by sex.

Australian Bureau of Statistics

Cyber security

Initiative

Description

Who's involved

Cyber Security Strategy

The Government committed $230 million under the 2016 Cyber Security Strategy to advance and protect our interests online and secure Australia’s prosperity in a connected world.
The Department of Home Affairs has conducted a review of the strategy. An update will be published later in 2018.

Department of Home Affairs

Critical Infrastructure Centre

The Centre coordinates the management of the complex and evolving national security risks to Australia’s critical infrastructure, including where those risks arise through cyber connectivity.

Department of Home Affairs

Australia’s International Cyber Engagement Strategy

Australia’s International Cyber Engagement Strategy sets an agenda to capture the economic prosperity promised by digital trade, prevent cybercrime, and preserve peace in cyberspace. A key measure is the Cyber Cooperation Program, which will assist countries in the Indo-Pacific to develop their capacity in cyber affairs.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

National Cyber Awareness Raising

Leveraging Cyber.gov.au and Stay Smart Online, the Australian Cyber Security Centre is raising awareness of the simple steps Australians can take to keep themselves safe online.

Australian Cyber Security Centre

Cyber.gov.au and Stay Smart Online

Cyber.gov.auprovides topical, relevant and timely information on how individuals and small businesses can protect themselves from, and reduce the risk of, cyber security threats such as software vulnerabilities, online scams, malicious activities, and risky online behaviours. It also includes advice for big business, infrastructure and government. The Stay Smart Online portal assists with outreach and advice, but will soon be merged into Cyber.gov.au to form a one-stop-shop for cyber reporting, information and tailored advice.

Australian Cyber Security Centre

Australian Cyber Security Centre

The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), which sits within the Australian Signals Directorate, brings together existing cyber security capabilities across Government. This is designed to strengthen engagement and partnership with the private sector and co-locate policy and operational functions to enable a consistent whole-of-government approach to cyber security.

Australian Signals Directorate, Defence Intelligence Organisation, Department of Home Affairs, Australian Federal Police, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and Australian Security Intelligence Organisation

Joint Cyber Security Centres

These additional centres, established in states and territories, will strengthen Australia’s operational cyber security capabilities and resilience. They provide partners with a broader understanding of the threat environment, facilitate information sharing and enable collaboration on shared cyber challenges.

Australian Cyber Security Centre

Academic Centres of Cyber Security Excellence (ACCSE) program

The ACCSE program encourages more students to study cyber security and related courses, and provides. $1.9 million of Cyber Security Strategy funding is available over four years (2016-17 to 2019-20) shared equally between the University of Melbourne and Edith Cowan University to assist with establishment and operation of their ACCSE.

Department of Education and Training

Cyber Security Tools and Training package

This package will support the cyber security performance of Australian SMEs, by providing advice on cyber resilience, information security and cyber security maturity.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

The Cyber Security National Program

AustCyber has assisted with the developing of cyber security qualifications available at TAFE institutions from 2018.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Australian Cyber Security Growth Network (AustCyber)

AustCyber is one of the Government’s six Industry Growth Centres, and is working collaboratively across the economy, and with international partners, to grow a vibrant and competitive cyber security sector that enhances Australia’s national security and economic prosperity.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

AustCyber Sector Competitiveness Plan

AustCyber is working, through strategic actions set out in its Sector Competitiveness Plan, to connect and leverage Australian capability in order to grow Australia’s cyber security sector and provide the foundation for the development of innovative and trusted cyber security solutions.

Australian Cyber Security Growth Network

Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program

The Cyber Security CRC will foster high quality research to solve industry-identified problems through outcome-focused collaborative research partnerships between industry entities and research organisations.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Women in Cyber

The Women in Cyber initiative seeks to address the underrepresentation of women in Australia’s cyber security workforce. Partnering with industry and academia, the Australian Cyber Security Centre runs annual mentoring events, networking and sponsorship opportunities to promote and inspire girls and women to embrace careers in cyber security.

Australian Cyber Security Centre

Cyber Security Small Business Program

This Program is an integrated element of the Cyber Security Strategy to improve cyber security for Australia’s small businesses. Provides grants of up to $2100 to co-fund small businesses to have their cyber security tested by CREST ANZ approved service providers.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Regulation

Initiative

Description

Who's involved

Whole of Government Deregulation Agenda

The Australian Government is committed to removing $1 billion of red tape per year. This includes reform with a digital focus, such as automating income stream reporting for social security recipients, and automating the PBS authority process.

By delivering better digital services and streamlined regulation, this initiative will deliver real savings to business so they can focus on growing their business, creating more jobs, developing new products, and exploring new market opportunities.

Industry Growth Centres are actively finding ways to optimise the regulatory environment in six sectors of competitive strength and strategic priority.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Human Rights and Technology Project

This Project, which commenced in July 2018, aims ensure human rights are prioritised in the design and regulation of new technologies, and consider how policies, incentives and other tools can be used more effectively to promote and protect human rights in the digital economy.

Human Rights Commission

Enhanced Regulatory Sandbox

The Government is introducing a legislative framework for an enhanced regulatory sandbox to enable new and innovative financial technology products and services to be tested in Australia.

Development of an e-invoicing case study to explore the appropriate role for government in digital standard setting and governance. The case study will also look at how to ensure that markets are pro-competitive when the Government is providing digital infrastructure.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Trade Modernisation Agenda

This ten-year agenda will transform and modernise trade flows through Australia’s international supply chain. A key component of this agenda is the “Single Window Project” (see below). This agenda seeks to ensure the international competitiveness of Australian businesses and strengthen our national security.

Austrade is designing an intelligent virtual marketplace (consistent with the Digital Service Standard) to help promote Australian capability and help Australian firms find customers and opportunities in foreign markets.

Austrade

Landing Pads

The Landing Pads program provides technology-based firms with a short-term operational base where they can benefit from Austrade’s network of contacts and tailored business development assistance. This allows them to forge deeper ties with entrepreneurial ecosystems, as well as open and build bridges into global digital markets.

Austrade

innovationXchange (iXc)

iXc was established in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to form new partnerships and identify innovative approaches to improve the effectiveness and impact of the Australian aid program, and public policy more generally. iXc has partnered with the MIT Solve initiative and Atlassian to find ideas that will help prepare disadvantaged young people for the workforce of the future.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Australia’s Digital Trade Policy

Australia’s Digital Trade policy is set out in the Digital Trade Chapter of Australia’s International Cyber Engagement Strategy. Its focus is on building trade architecture and international regulatory cooperation that is responsive to the contemporary needs of the digital economy, and which assists Australian businesses and consumers to successfully engage in international digital trade.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Prime Minister’s Industry 4.0 Taskforce

The Prime Minister’s Taskforce is ensuring Australia can capitalise on early adoption of Industry 4.0, and to support a collaborative approach to the development of global standards. The Taskforce has signed an agreement with Germany’s Platform Industrie 4.0 to cooperate across five work streams, representing key challenges in the transition to Industry 4.0.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Blockchain standards

Standards Australia is leading a project on behalf of the International Organization for Standardisation to develop international standards for blockchain.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

G20 Digital Economy Taskforce

Australia’s involvement in the G20 Digital Economy Taskforce is leading collective steps to improve digital measurement to more accurately capture the economic costs and benefits of the digital economy. The Taskforce is supporting action across a range of key policy areas to help bridge the digital gender divide and build the digital capabilities of SMEs.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Review of Australia’s corporate tax system

The Government is consulting on options to move towards a fairer and more sustainable tax system for the digital economy, and address the challenges arising for digitisation.

The Treasury

APEC Cross-Border Privacy Rules System

Australia’s participation in the APEC Cross-Border Privacy Rules System will facilitate greater transfer of personal data between Australian businesses and businesses in APEC member economies while providing effective privacy protections.

Attorney-General’s Department

APEC E-Commerce Facilitation Framework

Australia has been heavily involved in the development of this framework. It aims to promote cross-border e-commerce by creating a favourable, transparent and predictable regulatory environment, encouraging cooperation between private and public sectors, and facilitating trade and investment in the region.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

ASEAN-Australian Digital Standards Cooperation Initiative

The Initiative’s objective is to develop a framework for Australia and ASEAN member states to cooperate in developing, adopting and using international standards that promote digital trade and support inclusive economic growth in the region.

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

WCO Cross Border E-Commerce Framework of Standards

The Department of Home Affairs has been actively involved in developing this framework. The Framework provides overarching guidance for governments, in particular customs administrations, the private sector and other stakeholders in meeting their collective and individual goals relating to cross border e-commerce.

The department acknowledges the traditional owners of the country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to them and their cultures and to the elders past and present.